Darn it, I'm so bummed. It is raining on our garage sale. We worked so hard to get it set up in time for this weekend and now this. The only positive is that I feel really sick today - very nauseous - so maybe I'll just go lay on the couch. Man it is times feeling like this that remind me what the entire first half of pregnancy is like for me. (And no I'm not prego - I took a test at the doctor yesterday!) So I guess I'm just sick, but it feel exactly like major morning sickness. It has only been since yesterday afternoon feeling like this and I almost can't handle it anymore, and to think I usually go through about 15 weeks of this....ughh, I don't think I could do it.

Gosh, I feel like I never post anymore. Sometimes i feel like it is because I have so much going on that I can't stop to do it, then I don't feel like there is anything to post about. Lately things seem to be going by in a blurr. Between kids, husband, house, work, school, painting, garage sales, soccer, gymnastics and some other stuff - things just seem to wiz by. The kids are all great. We went to Mackenzie's soccer practice tonight and she is loving being back in that. But I think Austin loves it more - he just kept looking around like "wow, all these balls, how will I ever get to them all!" And you may just think I'm partial, but he is a natural soccer player - he can really dribble a ball already! I have video on my phone but it says it is too big a file to send through so, Fran, think you can help me figure this out. It is so cute!
Speaking of Fran - got to meet up with her today for lunch and boy did I need it. It was a moment of sanity for me. We have a family vacation planned for May 1-2 in KC meeting up with a HS friend and going to Great Wolf Lodge. I can't wait, it is like the light at the end of my tunnel right now. Then the end of May we are planning a vacation to Mexico with our neighbors. I don't care where we go as long as there is a beach, an ocean, prepared food and someone who's sole job it is to make sure my drink is never empty! I soooo need that vacation. And then the first of July we have Aaron's parents coming in town. It is going to be a busy next few months, but at least it is all filled up with good things.
Well, I better get back out to the garage and keep pricing stuff for the sale tomorrow and Saturday. But oh it will feel sooooo good to get all of this stuff out of my house. We've purged anything and everything we possibly could think of out of our house. It is like I can literally FEEL the weight lifting off of me!

Future Scientists

So I didn't have my camera at the work day last weekend, but luckily they were taking pictures at this venue, so I have some on hand. How stinking cute are these???!!!!! Needless to say, I think the kids think I play and have clowns at work every day..Turner told me he loved my work.

"If i just inject a little bit of this..."

"and wait a few minutes...""Voila - cool purple slime!"

(Oh no, Aunt Caitlyn doing experiments, I'm not sure if this is a good idea)
"Hmmmmm, now how many places do you think I'll be able to hide this cool red slime from you mom!"

(This picture cracks me up - his face is priceless)

So you never know, this may just lead into a career where they find the cure for cancer. Of course i have serious doubts about them becoming scientist....I mean how will anyone else in the lab be able to focus with such beautiful/handsome colleagues! It would surely be intimidating!! LOL

So things have been crazy - I've been in a bad mood - but there was one thing that made me laugh tonight, OK more than one with these kiddos, but this one sticks out - so Chou Chou ELOPED tonight. Yes, Mackenzie told us she liked a boy, then brought in bear who she started kissing (you know they always say girls go after guys who remind them of their daddies - sorry honey!LOL) and then she told us that Chou Chou and bear snuck off and got married. I proceeded to tell Mackenzie that that was completely unacceptable and that she better never get married without me there!!!!

A Climber

Life as I know it is officially over............Austin is climbing.


So I'm putting away dishes yesterday and I turn around to find this.

"Austin James, what in the world are you doing up there....now sit real still while mommy grabs the camera!" - I just have to capture ALL the first!

(Don't mind the messy table) He wanted an apple and darn it, he was going to get it! As Cameron stated, he just went from "Austin is getting so much easier because he just runs around and plays" to "now I have to watch him twice as much because of all he can get in to." This little guy amuses me...now Turner you look at him and just see the mischief in his eyes, but Austin has the sweet innocent face - but I think he'll end up being the instigator more time than not! (Denise and Harold, does this ring a bell? LOL)

Fun busy weekend

We had a great weekend. Very busy but fun.

The weekend started on a pretty sour note. When I left work I was run down emotionally and was at a very high stress level. Just a lot of stuff sitting on my chest. I literally felt like my neck was going to explode from high blood pressure and felt like I had a 100 lb weight on my chest. I couldn't shake it all and let it go for anything. Then - I got a call about some of the work stuff that eased my mind there, then got my grades for school - and it was like someone literally lifting the weight off of me. Thank goodness, because I don't think I could have made it through the weekend like that.

So Friday night Mackenzie got to have her friend Becca (Fran's daughter) over for a sleepover. They had so much fun. I just love having kids over to the house. Can't wait for a few years from now when we have a constant stream.

Mackenzie and Becca playing beauty shop in the morning.

We also went to the store Friday night to get paint for Mackenzie's room. Saturday morning I started preparing the room for painting and decided that I really needed to swap the boys/girl room. It just makes more sense. The boys have so much more furniture. And Mackenzie is going to be hitting that time very soon where she wants her "privacy", so I thought it would be better to give her her own private room. Can't say that Aaron was overjoyed with the decision - but I got him to agree while he was still half sleeping so by the time he got up I was already neck deep! lol No really - he loves it. It couldn't have worked out better. Of course my house was in shambles, but all worth it to give my little girl the room she deserves. Next on the list - painting the boys room and getting them new dresser.

My dad came up Saturday to see the kids and stayed the night. The kids always LOVE having Grandpy around. (And mom and dad always look forward to the little break and a meal we don't have to worry about.)

Turner woke up sick yesterday. Poor little guy couldn't keep anything down. Finally last night I gave him ice chips to chew on and that worked. He even finally decided to eat some dry cereal. you know they are sick when they won't even attempt to eat - and I had gone out and gotten donuts for breakfast! I think it hurts even more when this little guy is sick because it takes so much to keep him down. To see him literally lay on the couch all day, I knew he must be feeling awful.
Finally, last night I realized I really did need to finally give Austin a hair cut. His "mohawk" hair was getting just down right shaggy and the comb over affect just wasn't cutting it.

The BEFORE:

"Ahhhh.....I'm a wild man"

The AFTER:

I must say, I know it looks better, but I already miss that hair. It was kind of his trademark. And now - just one more step towards becoming a toddler.:(

Ahhhhhhhhhh....I really don't know how it happened but I'll take it

The unknown shal now be the known: You received an A in each of the three elements, 540/541/543 -- the only person in the class to do so. - Professor